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NOTICE:
The International Emergency Management Society's Transportation Saftey and Security Workshop Janurary 28-29th 2003
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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and
Risk Management
Crisis and Emergency Management
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NOTICE: The ICDRM's monthly emergency managment forum, held at the GWU |
| December
2002
Volume 3 - Number 3 |
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Links:
Current events
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The Disaster Program of the Pan-American Health
Organization
by JoaquinToro
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is an international public health agency with 100 years of experience working to improve health and living standards of the people of the Americas. It is part of the United Nations system, serving as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization, and as the health organization of the Inter-American System. PAHO maintains a disaster program because natural hazards, and the disasters are an integral part of the history of Latin America and the Caribbean. The program was created in 1976 to help, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, in the health sector to develop a disaster preparedness, response and mitigation programs. In preparedness, PAHO supports the creation and enhancement of disaster programs in the Ministries of Health and promotes coordination with other sectors involved in disaster reduction. Maintains training, in the form of several hundred courses and workshops in all aspects of disaster management, benefits thousands of disaster professionals each year. PAHO has produced an enormous body of technical material (publications, slide and video programs). Print copies are available free of charge to disaster institutions in the Member Countries and electronic copies are on the Internet for worldwide access. In mitigation, PAHO works at the highest level in the Member Countries to ensure that disaster mitigation becomes an integral part of national disaster reduction programs. In response, PAHO works with the affected country to identify and assess needs and damages in the health sector, including water and sanitation systems; establish an epidemiological surveillance system; monitor drinking water quality; mobilize aid from the international donor community; and manage donated relief supplies. PAHO captures and publishes the most important lessons learned in these situations to improve disaster management in the future. Also PAHO has established a Voluntary Disaster Relief Fund to support post-disaster emergency needs and activities. PAHO serves the 35 Member Countries of the Pan American Health Organization, regional office of the World Health Organization. Our principal counterparts and beneficiaries are the Ministries of Health, particularly the national disaster reduction programs. Disaster reduction is a multidisciplinary and multi-sector task. PAHO collaborates with many organizations and sectors: Civil Defense, universities, NGOs, parliaments, donors and the media, among others. The disaster program of the Pan-American Health Organization possess special projects in Disaster Mitigation in Hospitals and Water Supply Systems, hospitals and drinking water and sewage systems must include disaster mitigation as a priority in their planning. Humanitarian Supply Management System, Since 1990, the SUMA system, created by PAHO, has helped to direct the logistics of humanitarian supply management, making the process more transparent and accountable. Regional Disaster Information Center (CRID), CRID is now a multi-agency center, supported by six organizations. Its principal objective is to collect, classify and distribute technical and scientific documentation on all aspects of disaster reduction. Next February in 2003, PAHO is offering the Leaders in disasters course in Jamaica, more information http://www.disaster-info.net/LIDERES/lideresindex_jamaica.htm Useful links about PAHO www.paho.org/disasters www.disaster.info.desastres.net/SUMA www.crid.or.cr/crid/indexen.htm |